Ashab al-Kahf (militant group)

Ashab al-Kahf (Arabic: أصحاب الکهف, lit. 'People of the Cave') was an Iraqi Shia extremist militant group that was described as a proxy formation of Iran. The group first emerged in August 2019, but increased in activity following the American assassination of Qasem Soleimani. It attacked targets associated with the United States using rockets and improvised explosive devices. The group also attacked targets associated with Turkey. The group denied maintaining relationships with other Iranian-backed Shia paramilitary groups, such as Kata'ib Hezbollah and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq. On August 19, 2024, the group announced that it had reformed as Kataib Sarkhat al-Quds.